It has been a very difficult few years at Masiphumelele High School. Following protests in the community in 2015 and gang related crime that spilled over into the school in 2016 the learners were faced with a very difficult learning environment. It was no surprise to see the school’s matric pass rate tumble to just 48% at the end of the 2016 year – the second lowest in the province. This has been a hugely disappointing situation for a township school that once saw pass rates above 80%.

The “48 to 84” project was initiated last year by Dr Lutz van Dijk of the HOKISA Childrens’ Home in Masiphumelele. Together with other NGO’s in the community and the Western Cape Education Department the aim has been to turn the school around and once more aim for an 84% pass rate.

Masicorp has offered assistance to the high school learners for many years through a maths homework club. Extra maths sessions are held at the school on Saturdays and at Fish Hoek High School on Thursday evenings. Experienced Fish Hoek maths teacher, Rob Douglas, leads the sessions together with staff from the high school and we are pleased to report that by the end of 2017 the maths pass rate at the school had increased by 16%.

Sessions have continued into the first term of the 2018 year and we are also grateful to Pick n Pay in Fish Hoek for providing sandwiches for the learners that attend. The sessions are voluntary and numbers attending fluctuate. There is a constant attendance of around 20 students, but numbers have passed 50 as the end of term tests draw near.

This year we have also extended the programme to science. Shown below is Masicorp volunteer Filippo Faralla teaching the principles of vertical motion and velocity. We hope to see a similar improvement in science grades later in the year.

Further thanks are due to the travel clients of Absolut Tours for their provision of teaching materials via the Pack For a Purpose scheme. This has enabled us to provide 75 learners with packs of teaching materials and stationary to support their studies for which the school is very grateful.

On behalf of all school stakeholders including the learners who are the recipients of the donation I would like to extend our thanks to yourself, Masicorp and the donors. We thank you very much for your generosity.

Kind regards

MN Mafrika, Principal

The signs of recovery are emerging at the High School and we would like to thank all of the volunteers that are giving their time to make this possible.